So tomorrow is already five weeks since our arrival in Italy. It's hard to imagine time has gone by so fast, and we have accomplished so much; yet it seems like there's a mountain more of things 'to do/to learn'. It's very interesting to dive into another culture we seem to "know" so much about and get to see past all the glitz, glamour and pasta, and really get to experience what daily life is like for the Italians. Five weeks is officially the longest period I have spent in Italy at one time, so the freshness and the illusion of vacation is quickly wearing off. While I remind myself it's been a short time here, I often find myself frustrated that I don't know Italian, or I don't know how to do the sometimes brainless activities such as how to run our wash machine, how to turn on our lights, how to unlock our front door....It often feels like I am back in kindergarten learning my basic building blocks, but then again I kind of am! Yesterday was actually the first official tear shed over frustration, so I think I'm doing pretty good!
I thought I would share with you all a couple of highlights of things I've learned so far about the Italians and their seductive ways.
Big surprise, but not all Italians, or even Milanese for that matter, have great style. There. I said it. While I don't consider myself the leading fashion guru, I refuse to cloth myself in a shiny puff coat that looks like a stuffed glad bag cinched around my body. I know the argument is that it's cold, and people need to bundle up for the long winter, but come on- the Italians did not get their fashionista reputations while sporting this look!
Italians on the whole are not paid nearly as highly as Americans. The average salary in Milan is 1000euro a month. We find ourselves scratching our heads wondering how so many people can even afford Milan housing prices while making such little money, and the answer is in the well known reputation that Italian children live with their parents until late in there twenties, and often times, much later then that. I have it on good authority that many younger Italians that live outside of their parents homes' are only able to do so because parents have intervened and helped out. They're referred to as the generation of 1000, of which I guess there's a documentary about. Interesting I think.
Italy has a huge problem with illegal immigration. Immigrants from both eastern Europe, and northern Africa, come to Italy in droves (along with France), and has started to strangle social programs. It will be interesting to follow this and see what they do the same as or different from the US about this problem.
Most Milanese flee Milan on the weekends. They say it's the weather, the air, but whatever it is, it causes massive amounts of the population to vacate the city every weekend, gridlocking the freeways. Whether it's snow bound to ski, or sea bound, you can bet they are working on their tans! Yes, they actually do dedicate massive amounts of time on that beautiful olive skin that us pasty whites are so jealous of. Carlo even heard people on the ski slopes contemplating doing another run, or plopping down to tan in the snow for a while. We chuckle and call all the sun worshipers lizards because of the way they position themselves looking in the direction of the sun with their heads tilted up to get an even coloring on their necks. Sight to see for sure!
If you are not a Resident or Citizen, you are prohibited from so many things. Not only do I not have access to our bank account because I'm not a resident, but I can't even do simple things like get a cell phone, or even co-sign on our apartment lease. Anything and everything we do, we have to put under Carlo's name. I don't know how people get by without having a family member, or another Italian to rely on because the system is not easy to navigate, and the waiting game is time consuming. It seems like they ask for your documents (think of documents as a mix of an ID card and also their form of a social security card) for almost anything you try to do, so that is a club which I am not yet a member.
So far it's been a rewarding, challenging, trying, frustrating, joyous, fun journey and I'm excited what the coming time here will bring, so stay tuned!
Ciao!
Ps. I'll post pictures of our apartment all painted soon- being the Milanese we are, we spent a long weekend out of town and haven't finished yet!
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